Fans say these chain restaurants serve rich, hearty chili bowls packed with plenty of beef.
Chili is delicious, especially on a cold day. While the best chili is the kind that mom or dad makes, if you are craving a bowl of piping-hot meat and beans, there are some restaurants and even fast-food joints serving delicious bowls that keep diners coming back for more. If you are a meat-eater and are all about the beefiest chili in town, we have some recommendations. Here are 5 chain chili bowls fans say are all about the beef.
Wendy’s
Wendy’s is a solid fast-food option for classic, hearty beef-and-beans chili. “It is my favorite chili. I don’t like thick, heavy chili. Wendy’s is almost like a soup and I like that,” a Redditor writes. “I know it’s made from burger scraps but honestly I don’t care,” another writes about the “amazing chili.” They added, “I’ve been on a weight loss journey and Wendy’s is always my cheat meal. I get a biggie bag with a frosty and a large chili from the one restaurant where it’s always delicious. It’s so comforting on a cold day.”
Culver’s
Culver’s
Culver’s serves classic Midwest beef chili that diners keep coming back for more. One Redditor maintained that the Chili Supreme from Culver’s is delicious. “Really amazing over their fries,” another confirmed.
BJ’s
BJ’s Brewhouse
Beer-spiked chili is on the menu at BJ’s. The chain’s Piranha Chili is named after the beer used in its recipe. “It’s one of the chain’s in-house brews, the Piranha Pale Ale. The ale is added to a simmered sauce which then combines with meat and savory beans creating the final piquant product,” Hageman writes. She calls the taste “quintessential and comforting” with a “mild” heat level. “However, it has a familiar, home-cooked flavor and a creamy texture that’s very likable–almost like a mix between chili and a velvety tomato soup. The beans, which appear to all be pinto, are tender and make for a good pairing with the small yet frequent nuggets of beef. It’s quite enjoyable overall and I imagine it would have been near unbeatable with the proper cheese, sour cream, and onion garnishes.”
Outback
Outback
Tasmanian Chili is a favorite at Outback. “The soup’s core ingredient is steak, which is only fitting, but it does include tomatoes and promises plenty of spice,” says Hageman. It has “some serious spice to it,” adding it was the “hottest” in her taste test. “But, it also packs some great flavors of smoky chili powder, hot peppers, and onion. The steak is also perfectly tender, there’s just not nearly enough of it to go around. Because of this, and the thinner consistency, the cup ends up tasting more like a more boldly spiced vegetable soup with beef tossed in than a substantial and thick-set chili.”
Texas Roadhouse
Texas Roadhouse
Texas Roadhouse chili is topped with cheddar and onions, and is one of the best values on the menu. “I know it sounds dumb as a side, but if you’re a meat lover, it’s worth mentioning,” the same Redditor says. “TXRH handcuts all of their steaks. Those trimmings are not wasted,” they continue, adding that this chili is “one of the most expensive chili you could make at home because it is ground Filet, ribeye, strip, and sirloin meat,” they write. “I’m a big fan. Additional secret menu item if you’re a freak, chili cheese cactus blossoms exist and it is exactly what it sounds like.”
Leah Groth
Leah Groth is an experienced shopping editor and journalist for Best Life and Eat This, Not That! bringing readers the best new finds, trends, and deals each week. Read more about Leah
